David Ben-Gurion Park (Parque David Ben Gurión) is part of the Silver Zone, a modern urban development in Pachuca’s south. Traverse the 65 acres (26 hectares) of this park to see some of the city’s best attractions.
The cultural park is a tribute to the State of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. Despite his fame, this founding father chose to live in a humble kibbutz in the desert, which he helped convert into lush gardens. The Jewish community endeavored to mimic this in Mexico by creating an attractive green space in this arid valley. The park was officially opened in 2005 by former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Silvan Shalom.
The park’s highlight is its Central Plaza, which consists of an auditorium (Teatro Auditorio Gota de Plata) with a glass roof to reflect the colors of a massive floor mosaic below. Homage to the Women of the World was the last project of the late artist Byron Gálvez Avilés. The Hidalgo-born artist also designed the masterplan of the park.
Walk over his striking artwork, which consists of over 2,000 colorful figures depicting feminine body parts. Created with some 7 million tiles and measuring an impressive 345,000 square feet (some 32,000 square meters), it looks like a landing strip as seen from the air.
The first soccer game of the American continent was played in this highland region, which is why you can’t miss the park’s Interactive Center for the Football World (Centro Interactivo Mundo Fútbol). Follow the history timeline and look for your own heroes in its Hall of Fame (Salón de la Fama del Fútbol Internacional) shaped like a giant soccer ball. Nearby, see a live game at the Estadio Hidalgo and cheer on “the Tuzos" of FC Pachuca, one of Mexico’s all-time favorite sports teams.
Also visit the park’s impressive Central Library of the State of Hidalgo (Biblioteca Central del Estado Ricardo Garibay), children’s playgrounds and modern convention center (El Centro de Convenciones Tuzoforum).
To reach David Ben-Gurión Park, take a green-and-white taxi from the city’s central bus station. The on-site museums charge entrance fees, but all public attractions are free.